Daily cleaning
Mild detergent for daily cleaning:
Use a soft cloth or sponge and wipe the countertop with a mild dishwashing liquid or a mixture of detergent and water. Then rinse thoroughly with clean water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Avoid using strong chemicals:
Do not use strong chemicals such as bleach, ammonia or oven cleaners as they may damage the countertop. If disinfection is required, make sure the disinfectant is diluted and wipe it thoroughly.
Clean up colored stains in time:
Clean up spilled liquids in time to prevent stains from forming, such as substances such as coffee, tea, red wine, vinegar and food coloring.
Prevent heat damage:
Artificial stone countertops may be damaged by overheating. Therefore, it is recommended to use insulation pads or pot holders to avoid placing hot pots or other hot items directly on the countertop.
Avoid heavy impact:
Although artificial stone countertops are durable, they still need to be avoided from heavy impacts or sharp scratches to prevent surface damage.
How to Polish, Polish, Renovate, Repair Excessive Wear, Stains, and Scratches:
Recommended Tools:
Acrylic Glue
Hot Glue and Glue Gun
Makita sander from Harbor Freight. With a 5'' pad.
Makita Grinder:
Makita sander with a 5" sanding pad from Harbor Freight. The thing works awesome. 40 grit sandpaper.
Aluminum Oxide Sandpaper
You'll need a hot glue gun. Regular hot glue. Acetone or denatured alcohol will release hot glue from a solid surface with virtually no marks. Just let it soak in for a few seconds.
Grinder Buying Tips: Don't buy a regular grinder and expect to get the same results. Standard grinders are often not designed for the speeds you need for solid surface work. First, you need to vary the speed. Speeds above 2.75 will cause problems and will not give you the results you need for solid surface joints. Second, running a regular grinder at full speed will pit the surface and clog the sandpaper almost immediately.
Excessively Worn Surfaces:
For matte surface artificial stone countertops, you can use a mildly abrasive cleaner. For glossy surfaces, avoid using abrasive cleaners to prevent the surface from darkening.
Stubborn stains:
For stubborn stains, you can mix baking soda and water into a paste. Apply the paste to the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, and then gently scrub with a non-abrasive scrubbing pad. Then rinse and dry thoroughly.
Repair scratches:
Minor scratches can be gently wiped off with a non-abrasive scrubbing pad (such as a 3M Scotch-Brite pad). For deeper scratches, you need to use fine sandpaper (220-320 mesh), matte 220 mesh and gloss 320 mesh or above, you need to use specific artificial stone sandpaper to polish and then polish with a soft cloth. Follow the left to right and top to bottom, and polish in a circular motion.
Repair of broken and damaged:
When repairing seamless splices, it is not good to have too thick twisted wire. Over time, the glue line will turn yellow under the light. Reference blog 21
By following these steps, you can keep your artificial stone countertop beautiful and durable. If you are unsure, it is recommended to consult a professional or refer to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
